This invention relates generally to a hydraulic fluid power circuit, and more particularly to a motor vehicle hydraulic fluid power circuit having a hydraulic pump for supplying fluid to assist the operator in steering and braking the vehicle.
Motor vehicles are frequently provided with a hydraulic pump which is driven by the engine of the vehicle to provide a source of fluid power. In passenger cars, this fluid power is frequently used to assist the operator in steering the vehicle. Because of increasing automobile braking performance requirements and because of a decreasing ability of intake manifold vacuum braking systems to provide that performance, it has been suggested to use the fluid power of the engine-driven hydraulic pump to assist the operator in braking the vehicle, as well as to assist the operator in steering the vehicle.